8 Tips for Building a Profitable 360° Marketing Strategy

No matter how great your product is, it won’t gain traction without a solid marketing strategy.

I’ve used the below strategies — outlined in more detail in the video above — to generate millions of dollars worth of revenue. I’ve also found that the more I was using at one time, the more successful I was. I can almost guarantee that even with one or two of these avenues going strong, you can generate momentum as long as you have a solid product and brand (if you don’t yet, check out my videos on personal branding and brand identity).

There is so much content out there on marketing and there is honestly no best practice. It all depends on you, your brand and your market. But over the years I’ve noticed some very specific things that when put in place with each other leverage powerful results without being complicated at all.

Below is my 360-degree marketing strategy. These are eight tips you can apply to your business today to create a foolproof marketing plan.

1. Website/E-Commerce

You probably already have a website, but I cannot stress its importance enough. It’s the forefront of your brand, where all your content is housed and where you communicate with customers. It’s the first impression people are going to receive of you. It also demonstrates that you’re on top of technology — especially if you’re mobile responsive. E-commerce is supposed to grow by 51 percent by 2017, so if you’re not in this game then you’re going to be missing out on business.

2. Content Creation

We all know that content creation is key. It’s great for organic search, driving traffic and giving your brand a voice. What are you trying to communicate to the world and how are you going to do it? The best marketing strategies utilize all three: quality video, the written word and photography.

3. Social Media

You need to connect and engage with your audience through social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Google+. Figure out how you can cross promote, build your communities and drive brand awareness through both organic content creation as well as paid advertising. It’s also a great way for you to get customer feedback, get new customers and increase your revenue.

4. Grassroots Marketing

Grassroots marketing means getting face to face with people and having conversation. Nothing is more valuable to your business than developing one-on-one rapport. You can communicate your brand, show new products, share your story, get user feedback and can develop quality, lasting relationships. Think about ways in which you can engage with your local community, such as nonprofits. This also creates valuable opportunities for generating content and building your brand’s equity.

5. Events and Sales Opportunities

Attend industry trade shows, pop-up shops, local events and local markets. Find opportunities to get your brand on the ground level selling directly to consumers. (This also ties in with grassroots marketing.)

6. Co-Branding/Brand-to-Brand Collaboration

The power of collaboration can be great for your brand. Co-branding allows you to cross pollinate with other brands. Between the stories and products you can create together, this is an incredible way for you to exchange followers and leverage each other’s communities.

7. Public Relations

There’s a lot that you can do without paying for PR. For instance, there are millions of bloggers throughout different markets whose job it is to write reviews and talk about businesses and products. You can also think local. Pitch local editors on the opening of your new store or pop-up shop. Don’t forget to consider PR stunts: What can you do that’s outlandish and legal to help tell a story?

Celebrity seeding is another option. It can definitely help your brand to get your product in the hands of a celebrity. It’s not necessary, but if you’re going to do so make sure the celebrity you choose alines with your demographic and your audience.

8. Networking

Nothing beats good old-fashioned networking. Get out there to rub shoulders, shake hands and meet people. But make sure it’s friendship first and business second.

Resources

8 Tips for Building a Profitable 360° Marketing Strategy

No matter how great your product is, it won’t gain traction without a solid marketing strategy.

I’ve used the below strategies — outlined in more detail in the video above — to generate millions of dollars worth of revenue. I’ve also found that the more I was using at one time, the more successful I was. I can almost guarantee that even with one or two of these avenues going strong, you can generate momentum as long as you have a solid product and brand (if you don’t yet, check out my videos on personal branding and brand identity).

There is so much content out there on marketing and there is honestly no best practice. It all depends on you, your brand and your market. But over the years I’ve noticed some very specific things that when put in place with each other leverage powerful results without being complicated at all.

Below is my 360-degree marketing strategy. These are eight tips you can apply to your business today to create a foolproof marketing plan.

1. Website/E-Commerce

You probably already have a website, but I cannot stress its importance enough. It’s the forefront of your brand, where all your content is housed and where you communicate with customers. It’s the first impression people are going to receive of you. It also demonstrates that you’re on top of technology — especially if you’re mobile responsive. E-commerce is supposed to grow by 51 percent by 2017, so if you’re not in this game then you’re going to be missing out on business.

2. Content Creation

We all know that content creation is key. It’s great for organic search, driving traffic and giving your brand a voice. What are you trying to communicate to the world and how are you going to do it? The best marketing strategies utilize all three: quality video, the written word and photography.

3. Social Media

You need to connect and engage with your audience through social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Google+. Figure out how you can cross promote, build your communities and drive brand awareness through both organic content creation as well as paid advertising. It’s also a great way for you to get customer feedback, get new customers and increase your revenue.

4. Grassroots Marketing

Grassroots marketing means getting face to face with people and having conversation. Nothing is more valuable to your business than developing one-on-one rapport. You can communicate your brand, show new products, share your story, get user feedback and can develop quality, lasting relationships. Think about ways in which you can engage with your local community, such as nonprofits. This also creates valuable opportunities for generating content and building your brand’s equity.

5. Events and Sales Opportunities

Attend industry trade shows, pop-up shops, local events and local markets. Find opportunities to get your brand on the ground level selling directly to consumers. (This also ties in with grassroots marketing.)

6. Co-Branding/Brand-to-Brand Collaboration

The power of collaboration can be great for your brand. Co-branding allows you to cross pollinate with other brands. Between the stories and products you can create together, this is an incredible way for you to exchange followers and leverage each other’s communities.

7. Public Relations

There’s a lot that you can do without paying for PR. For instance, there are millions of bloggers throughout different markets whose job it is to write reviews and talk about businesses and products. You can also think local. Pitch local editors on the opening of your new store or pop-up shop. Don’t forget to consider PR stunts: What can you do that’s outlandish and legal to help tell a story?

Celebrity seeding is another option. It can definitely help your brand to get your product in the hands of a celebrity. It’s not necessary, but if you’re going to do so make sure the celebrity you choose alines with your demographic and your audience.

8. Networking

Nothing beats good old-fashioned networking. Get out there to rub shoulders, shake hands and meet people. But make sure it’s friendship first and business second.